When a wireless communication device moves to a new area, the device may switch from communications with one base station to communications with another base station that serves the new an area. When the wireless device is participating in an active call session, whether voice, data, or otherwise, the wireless device will optimally perform a soft handoff when moving from one base station to another. During a soft handoff the wireless device begins exchanging communications with the new base station before severing communications with the previous base station.
While a soft handoff is the preferred way to switch a wireless device from one base station to another, a soft handoff is not always possible. In some situations network conditions exist that prevent a wireless device from performing a soft handoff. For example, a carrier frequency used by a wireless device to communicate on one base station may be under a high communication load on the base station to which the wireless device is moving. The high communication load may prevent the wireless device from performing a soft handoff to the same carrier frequency on the other base station.